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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: deal · press · pit · branch · staff · ruler · vault · wind

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. staff — employees
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. staff — employees
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. branch — a division
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. press — to push
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. wind — moving air
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. press — newspapers
  15. deal — to handle
  16. staff — a stick
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. pit — a hole
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. press — a publisher
  23. pit — in a race
  24. vault — a safe

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com